National Anti-Drug Strategy
The introduction of a new National Anti-Drug Strategy is an important commitment of Canada’s New Government that is being supported in Budget 2007. This new strategy covers three priority areas, with common objectives, to combat illicit drug production, prevent illicit drug use and treat illicit drug dependency. This new approach will result in a more focused program for dealing with illicit drug use.
The investment of $63.8 million over two years will build on existing programs and initiatives ($385 million per year) that are being refocused to create a new National Anti-Drug Strategy. This new strategy places particular emphasis on additional actions to combat the illicit production and distribution of drugs, to address gaps in preventing illicit drug use, to create awareness of illicit drugs and their negative effects, particularly among youth, and to treat and rehabilitate those with drug dependencies. Together, these three initiatives form a focused approach to reducing the supply of and demand for illicit drugs, as well as addressing the crime associated with illegal drugs, leading to safer and healthier communities.
Combatting Illicit Drug Production and Distribution
In other words, let's keep pissing away money on law enforcement because Harper loves getting compliments from John Walters. They are adopting the language of drug policy reformers and twisting it around. Treat and rehabilitate sounds really great but what does this even mean, coming from The Right Honourable PMS? Will it mean an American-style system of sending people convicted of possession of drugs off to rehab whether they need it or not? What strategy are they going to employ to reduce the supply of and demand for illegal drugs? Let's read and find out.
Budget 2007 provides $21.6 million over the next two years to support law enforcement in combatting the illegal use of drugs. Canada’s New Government is working closely with the provinces, territories and law enforcement partners to ensure that officers have the tools they need to significantly reduce illegal drug production and distribution operations. Officers will also be able to tackle the organized crime elements behind them, including gangs, thereby stemming the supply of illicit drugs. Increased enforcement activities will proactively target illicit drug producers, such as marihuana grow operations and clandestine methamphetamine labs, and gangs. Funding will enhance the capacity of the criminal justice system to investigate, interdict and prosecute offenders. The Government is also committed to ensuring that strong and adequate penalties are in place for serious drug crimes.
This will lead to more cop photo-ops, complete with drug porn, stacks of currency and more drug-dealing deviants hauled off to the slammer. We already know that this will not lead to a decrease in the number of illicit drug users or a reduction in the harms caused by the illicit drug market. This is the same strategy used in the United States which has given them the dubious distinction of "Most Incarcerated in the World."
Preventing Illicit Drug Use
Budget 2007 invests $10 million over the next two years to implement a national prevention campaign aimed at youth and their parents. The objective of the campaign will be to help decrease the prevalence of drug use among youth. To do this, the campaign will raise awareness and knowledge about drugs and their negative effects. It will also give parents the tools they need to talk to their children about drug use.
What does this even mean? Are they going to start pushing anti-drug ads, like the ones that have worked so well for the US? Kids are already steeped in anti-drug propaganda in school. Are they going to take away math and gym or extend the school day a few hours so we can spend more time telling kids that drugs are bad? I wish they would be more specific so I could have more fun picking this apart, although this is already like shooting fish in a barrel.
Treating Illicit Drug Dependency
Budget 2007 provides $32.2 million over two years to support treatment services that will address substance abuse. This will include the development and implementation of innovative projects that will support programming for First Nations and Inuit populations and support provinces and territories in filling critical treatment gaps. Funding will also be used by the Department of Justice to support extra-judicial diversion and treatment programs for youth offenders with drug-related problems at the various stages of the criminal justice system. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police will implement new tools to refer youth at risk to treatment programming. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research will develop new treatment models for crystal methamphetamine use.
I wish I knew what this means. Will we have a situation where drug users need to get arrested to get into rehab while users that are arrested are getting pushed into treatment that they don't need? We will have to wait and see.
All in all, this is very disappointing but not at all surprising. The Conservatives have no interest in fixing the real cause of drug crime by legalizing and regulating the supply. They repeat meaningless rhetoric about how legalizing marijuana will mean more kids will have access to drugs, despite the fact that Canadian children are exposed to more drugs than children in the Netherlands.
The only good thing about this budget that I could see was increased funding into treatment for addiction to methamphetamines. In my budget, all the integrated drug units would be shut down and all drugs would be legal and for sale at low prices at the local pharmacy. Cops would actually have to do something worthwhile, like walk my kids home from school.
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